With the kids out of school and you may be finding it hard to keep them entertained…it’s time for a vacation in the Natural State. Yes, time to hit the road and explore the great outdoors! Time for your kids to put down the video game controller or remote and pick up a fishing pole and a sleeping bag and head out to the nearest campsite by a stream or lake. 

To help you plan your next trip, AETN has created a brand new "Exploring Arkansas" website where you can search at home or on the go on  your mobile device by season, region, activity or location. You can also check out my top 10 list of favorite places and view a photo gallery of places we’ve been - not to mention a list of waterfalls along with the GPS coordinates! Some of those waterfalls have been visited by only a few so the GPS coordinates come with the stipulation that you must pack out what you pack in..leave no trace..and take only pictures.

To get you excited about your outing, you can also watch any of the past 250 and current episodes.

Also, I’d like to tell you about the new "Exploring Arkansas" episode coming up Monday, July 2 at 6:30pm.  We’ll take you to Garvan Woodland Gardens near Hot Springs.  This internationally respected botanical garden is one of the top five in the nation and features waterfalls, a children’s adventure garden, model train garden and a wood/glass chapel. The Delta Rivers Nature Center in Pine Bluff has bald eagles, a resident alligator, fish native to Arkansas in one of the largest aquariums in the state, and trails for viewing wildlife in the wetland area. Fort Curtis in Helena is a re-production of a Civil War earthen fort – the only one of its kind in the region. The Little Blakely Trail System in the Ouachita National Forest is open to both hikers and mountain bikers and offers spectacular views of Lake Ouachita. 

So, pack up the car or truck…throw the kids in…and take us with you on an adventure exploring Arkansas!